Child victims of cybercrime can now lodge complaints at the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights’ (NCPCR) ‘POCSO e­box’ online platform. The initiative, which was launched last year, aims at encouraging children to register complaints of sexual abuse, cyberbullying and stalking, morphing of images and child pornography. In India, about 134 million children have access to mobile phones.

This number is surging with even faster access to internet. While it provides opportunities for accessing useful material for learning purposes, lack of digital literacy and online safety measures expose children to the hazards of cybercrime, said an NCPCR official. POCSO e­box is an easy and direct medium for reporting of child sexual abuse under the POCSO Act, 2012.

The child victims or their friends, parents, relatives or guardians can report cybercrime by pressing the e­box button available at the Commission’s website www.ncpcr.gov.in.

Developed by NCPCR, POCSO e­box can be accessed by going to the commission’s website and pressing the button at the bottom of the page. Once the e­box button is clicked, it leads to an animated video in which an elderly woman speaks in a compassionate way. She begins by saying “NCPCR aapka dost hai” (NCPCR is your friend) and goes on to mention the various circumstances under which a child should file a complaint to them. The animated video leads to another page with six pictures illustrating the kinds of harassment a child may have faced.

The victim can select the appropriate image and fill in his/her details with a small description about his/her harassment. If a child is not comfortable sharing the same, he/she can directly contact the NCPCR through the phone number 9868235077 or through the email id­­pocsoebox­[email protected]